2026 Springfield Agenda

Introducción

Since early 2025, the Trump administration has equipped the federal government against working class families across the country, zeroing in on states with welcoming policies, like Illinois. The administration has also cut critical federal dollars that fund public education and help working families pay for child care. It has also escalated unlawful, violent, and sometimes fatal, immigration enforcement and harassment. And families, across race, income level, immigration status and party lines, have experienced the most painful consequences of these actions.

Table Of Contents

Introducción
Educación
Inmigración
Vivienda
Civic
Revenue

Last year was challenging for Latino and immigrant families, but we still made meaningful progress. And this year’s Springfield Agenda seeks to build on those wins and address new concerns, gaps and shortfalls, in large part caused by Congress passing the president’s $4 trillion budget package, H.R. 1, otherwise tragically known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.” H.R. 1 made it possible for the federal administration to dramatically cut funding for the social safety net and support for programs that help families access food assistance, health care, housing, education and more. The funds from these devastating cuts have funded a mass and increasingly violent and unlawful immigration enforcement agenda.

As we do every year, the Latino Policy Forum joins partners throughout Illinois to advocate for resources and policies that properly fund education and protect students’ right to equal educational opportunity, make it possible for people to access safe and affordable housing, and protect immigrant communities. Below are our budgetary, administrative, and policy priorities for 2026.

This year’s agenda includes two new sections, one focused on civic and representation, and the second on revenue proposals to sustain funding for the programs that Latino families rely on.

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This agenda is an evolving document that may be updated during the year. It may not reflect the most current list of all the budgetary, legislative, or administrative priorities that the Latino Policy Forum will support.

Educación

Whether accessing early childhood services, participating in K-12 Education programs, or pursuing the dream of a college degree, the Latino Policy Forum is committed to advocating for equitable access to supports, programs, investments, and policies that support Latino students.

Alongside our advocate partners and stakeholders, the Forum will work with the Illinois General Assembly to support the following initiatives:

Primera infancia

Budget Priorities

$75 million increase to the Early Childhood Block Grant to strengthen program quality by increasing the number of full day preschool slots and the cost-per-child rate, working toward reflecting the true cost of care.
$170 million increase for the Childcare Assistance Program (CCAP) ($120 million) and the Smart Start Workforce Grant (SSWG) ($50 million) to address the rising caseload and support the workforce. Without new investments, Illinois families with young children will continue to struggle to find quality child care services, and educators will remain significantly underpaid.
$40 million increase to the Early Intervention Program to increase pay for providers supporting children with developmental delays and improve the enrollment process. Without action, more providers will face longer waitlists, and children may miss the opportunity to benefit from services.
$5 million increase to Home Visiting to address provider compensation, expand services and strengthen the state’s infrastructure. With over two decades of flat funding, continued funding is vital to improve maternal and child outcomes.

Legislative Priorities

Established in 2024 when Governor Pritzker signed SB 1, the Department of Early Childhood Act is an effort to unify the state’s early childhood programs and services and improve equity and accessibility for families and caregivers. This year, the Forum is monitoring legislation that will transition those programs and services to the new department.

Licensing, HB 5373 (Rep. Joyce Mason)/ SB 3907 (Sen. Julie A. Morrison), amends various acts by replacing the term “day care” with “child care”.
Advisory Reform, HB 5204 (Rep. Joyce Mason)/ SB 2984 (Sen. Lakesia Collins), amends the Illinois Early Learning Council Act by making changes to leadership roles and shifting appointments to the Department of Early Childhood, establishes conflict of interest provisions and shifts Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) appointments to the Department of Early Childhood.
Background Checks, SB 3641 (Sen. Julie A. Morrison)/ HB 5099 (Rep. Joyce Mason) transfers responsibility for conducting background checks for child care providers to the Department of Early Childhood beginning July 1, 2026.

K-12

Budget Priorities

Level funding ($45 million) for the Teacher Vacancy Grants program, which provides grants to districts with high rates of unfilled positions to support teacher recruitment and retention through targeted funding for innovative strategies designed to reduce vacancies in high-need areas, like bilingual education.
Working alongside partners in the Funding Illinois First Coalition for a $550 million increase in school funding in FY27, including $450 million for Evidence-Based Funding and $100 million for Mandated Categoricals (MCATs), such as transportation, special education, and free and reduced-price meal programs, which ensure districts can meet basic student needs without pulling dollars away from classrooms. Without funding both initiatives, districts will struggle to plan, hire, and support students across the board.

Legislative Priorities

Civil Rights Safeguard Act, HB 5386 (Rep. Will Guzzardi)/ SB 3777 (Sen. Adriane Johnson), led by the Illinois Department of Human Rights to codify the disparate impact framework for employment, financial credit, and public accommodations. This would ensure that education institutions are held accountable not only for intentional discrimination, but also for policies that produce unequal outcomes for protected groups. This creates a proactive safeguard against systemic civil rights violations and helps ensure equitable access to education for all students.
Fully Funding Schools, HB 5409 (Rep. William “Will” Davis)/ SB 3701 (Sen. Graciela Guzmán): a measure to ensure full funding for the Evidence-Based Funding Formula by 2027 and 100% funding for all Mandated Categoricals.

Enseñanza superior

Budget Priorities

$70 million increase for the Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) to enhance college affordability for students and increase persistence and graduation rates.
Three (3%) percent increased funding for four-year public universities, community colleges, adult education, and career and technical education.
Level funding ($8 million) for the Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program, which is awarded to students pursuing post-secondary degrees in education.
A $5 million increase to the Early Childhood Consortium Scholarship to increase the number of qualified ECE educators by promoting advanced credentials and degrees and expanding providers’ classroom capacity.

Legislative Priorities

Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act, HB 1581 (Rep. Carol Ammons)/ SB 13 (Sen. Kimberly Lightford), to ensure fair funding, expand student support services, and close achievement gaps affecting students in Illinois. The Forum joins advocates like Advance Illinois, the Partnership for College Completion, and partners in the Coalition for Transforming Higher Ed in working to make higher education more equitable and accountable across the state.
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Inmigración

After successfully strengthening protections for immigrant families last session, the Forum will focus on ensuring families can sustain access to health coverage and food assistance amid new threats from H.R. 1. As federal policies continue to create a chilling effect on families’ willingness to access programs and resources, and as costs continue to rise, our advocacy work this session is more critical than ever.

Budget Priorities

Increased funding for the Immigrant Integration Services Line Item led by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) which provides funding for citizenship application assistance, DACA renewals, and more.
$15 million increase for the Illinois Access to Justice (A2J) program and level funding for the Immigrant Legal Support Program (ILSP) led by The Resurrection Project. Both programs enable partners across the state to continue providing immigrants with free and accessible legal assistance.
Increased funding for Illinois Welcoming Centers to continue providing comprehensive services to immigrant communities across the state.

Legislative Priorities

Food Assistance for Lawfully Present Immigrants Losing SNAP, HB 4831 (Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez)/ SB 3167 (Sen. Graciela Guzmán), partnering with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Forum is leading advocacy to sustain food assistance for lawfully present immigrants losing SNAP benefits due to federal H.R. 1.
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Equal Treatment for All, HB 2909 (Rep. Kevin Olickal)/ SB 2251 (Sen. Ram Villivalam), led by MALDEF, the Forum supports efforts to expand protections against discrimination in public accommodations and financial credit by including citizenship, primary language, and immigration status as protected categories in the Illinois Human Rights Act.
Removing Restrictions on the IL Child Tax Credit, SB 3567 (Sen. Omar Aquino), in partnership with the IL Cost-of-Living Refund Coalition, we support removing restrictions on the IL Child Tax Credit so that all qualifying families can receive the maximum benefit they deserve.
Newborn Equity Support Transfer Program (NEST), HB 5238 (Rep. Kelly Cassidy)/ SB 3756 (Sen. Graciela Guzmán), also led by the IL Cost-of-Living Refund Coalition, this bill seeks to provide expectant mothers with prenatal and postpartum financial support.

Vivienda

Addressing homelessness and improving access to stable, safe and quality housing is essential to creating a fair, dignified, and equitable future for everyone in Illinois. We join our partners, Housing Action Illinois, Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, Illinois Shelter Alliance, Supportive Housing Providers Association, and homelessness service providers throughout Illinois, in supporting investments for the Home Illinois Plan, which funds critical programs that bring our state closer to making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Budget Priorities

$28.5 million increase in funding to Home Illinois, the state’s plan to prevent and end homelessness.
$14 million increase for the Emergency and Transitional Housing (ETH) Program to expand access to emergency shelter and transitional housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
$7.5 million increase for Supportive Housing Programs to continue pairing housing with services and support long-term stability for those in need.
$5 million increase for the Homelessness Prevention Program to provide additional resources to help households remain housed and avoid homelessness.
$2 million increase to support initiatives that move people from homelessness to stability such as the Homeless Youth Program, Rapid Rehousing, and Scattered Permanent Supportive Housing.

Legislative Priorities

Rental Affordability and Free Transparency Act, HB 5234 (Rep. Nabeela Syed)/ SB 3763 (Sen. Mike Simmons) to protect renters from excessive and hidden “junk fees” in lease agreements by requiring landlords to disclose all required charges upfront and prohibiting excessive non-optional fees. Led by partners including A Just Harvest, Housing Action Illinois, Law Center for Better Housing, Supporting Housing Providers Association and others.
Stop the Increasing Criminalization of Homelessness in Illinois, HB 1429 (Rep. Kevin Olickal), would prohibit the state and local governments from fining or criminally penalizing people experiencing unsheltered homelessness for being in public spaces or doing life-sustaining activities. Leading partners include Housing Action Illinois, Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness and others.
Community Safety Through Stable Homes Act, SB 2264 (Sen. Karina Villa and Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz), would protect tenants from evictions based on Crime-Free Housing and Nuisance Ordinances (CFNOs), that force or pressure landlords to evict tenants based on emergency calls or alleged “nuisance” activity, even without evidence, charges, arrests, or convictions. This bill is led by the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Open Communities, The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence.

Civic

Representation

The national Census determines funding for health care, education, and political representation. In 2020, Latinos were undercounted nationally by 4.99% and by as much as 2.03% in Illinois. To mitigate undercounts and ensure that our community is fairly represented and resourced, the state must invest and prepare early for the 2030 census.

Road to Census 2030 Act of 2026, SB 3459 (Sen. Graciela Guzmán), creates Road to Census 2030 Act of 2026 and appropriates $500,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services, $500,000 to Secretary of State, and $1.6 million to Department of Health.

Revenue

Illinois is facing another challenging budget year, worsened by the passage of H.R. 1, which will go into effect this year that includes devastating cuts to critical social safety net programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, with further cuts coming next year.

However, low-income and working families cannot weather these cuts alone, Illinois must rise to the occasion and narrow the gap between state and federal funding to support access to food and health care. As members of the Illinois Revenue Alliance, we join partners in supporting the following budgetary and revenue proposals.

Legislative Priorities

Digital Advertising Tax, HB 4894 (Rep. Norma Hernandez)/ SB 3353 (Sen. Robert Peters), a 10% tax on digital ad revenue generating an estimated $1.1 billion in FY27.
Closing Corporate Loopholes, HB 5125 (Rep. Lindsey LaPointe)/ SB 3796 (Sen. Lakesia Collins), closes the remaining corporate loopholes and decouples sections of the tax code that were repealed under H.R. 1 which would generate $700 million in FY27.
Worldwide Combined Reporting, HB 5318 (Rep. Maurice West)/ SB 3486 (Sen. Robert Martwick),requires multinational corporations to include the income of their foreign subsidiaries when calculating Illinois’ share of their profits, which would generate an estimated $1.2 billion in FY27.
Billionaire Wealth Tax, HB 5215 (Rep. Theresa Mah)/ SB 3376 (Sen. Karina Villa), a “mark-to-market” tax on billionaire asset appreciation raising an estimated $916 million in FY27.